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Traylor, S.D., E.F. Granek, M. Duncan, and S.M. Brander. 2024. From the ocean to our kitchen table: anthropogenic particles in the edible tissue of U.S. West Coast seafood species. Frontiers in Toxicology 6:1469995.

Technological progress can be both a blessing and a curse. Case in point, plastics. Plastics are cheap to produce, versatile, and have become an integral part of modern day life. This has not come without cost, however. According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), at least 19 million tons of plastic enter our waterways each year. Plastic doesn’t biodegrade but rather is broken into increasingly smaller pieces. Microplastics–defined as pieces less than 5 mm in size–are part of a broader category of pollutants called anthropogenic particles, or APs for short. What happens to these particles once they enter waterways is an evolving area of research.

One study along the Oregon coast is helping to provide some answers.

Ensign (ENS) Summer Traylor, currently a NOAA Corps Commissioned Officer, recently worked with an all women team of scientists that included Dr. Elise Granek, Professor of Environmental Science & Management and head of the Applied Coastal Ecology Lab at Portland State University, Marilyn Duncan, an Environmental Science alumna from Portland State University, and Dr. Susanne Brander, an Associate Professor at the Coastal Oregon Marine Environment Station and head of the Ecotoxicology and Environmental Stress Lab at Oregon State University. Together, they assessed the presence of APs in the tissue of six marine species: black rockfish, lingcod, Chinook salmon, Pacific herring, Pacific lamprey, and pink shrimp. These species were chosen for a variety of reasons, including their economic and cultural importance, feeding methods, and positions in the food web. ENS Traylor and her team were also interested in comparing individuals taken from commercial vessels and those purchased from retail stores, as well as individuals collected from freshwater and marine environments for two species that spend different parts of their life cycle in each environment. 

Unfortunately, ENS Traylor and her team found that nearly all of the individuals they sampled contained APs in their tissue. In fact, of the 182 individuals examined, only two – both obtained from commercial vessels – didn’t have APs. However, the concentration of APs in muscle tissue varied by species, with pink shrimp having the highest of the five species. 

It turns out these tiny particles don’t just stay in the environment, they are being incorporated into the body of marine organisms. But is this something we should be concerned about?

Researchers explain, “Many microfibers (the type most commonly detected in aquatic organisms) have jagged edges that can irritate or damage internal tissues and organs. Additionally, microplastics contain and can adsorb chemicals that include known endocrine disruptors. Microplastics can cause false satiation, inhibit growth, disrupt reproduction, and interfere with the gut functioning and potentially the gut microbiome. Microplastics, similar to PFAS and pharmaceuticals, though not new in the environment, are considered contaminants of emerging concern.” Impacts don’t end there, unfortunately. There are also concerns about human health, with potential links between disease and microplastics in human tissue. 

Ingesting these small fibers is nearly impossible to avoid. Not only are they in the food we eat, they are all around us, right down to the water we drink and the air that we breathe. Still, there are steps we can take to reduce how much of these particles enter the environment. In addition to sharing their findings to raise awareness, Dr. Granek is expanding on this work and exploring practical solutions. “We have a study under way to test storm drain filter and washing machine filter interventions and their efficacy. We also continue to look at how microplastics interact with other stressors to affect marine species.” You can do your part, too, by advocating for and using less plastic packaging and adding a washing machine filter to remove particles from wastewater. 

Science thrives on collaboration, and that is especially true for emerging fields like this. As ENS Traylor and Dr. Granek note, “Our pooled knowledge is what made this research project very strong.” Continued research, paired with both individual choices and broader collective action, can move us toward a cleaner, healthier future—for our waterways, our ecosystems, and ourselves.

Plus, who wants dinner with a side of plastic anyway?

The full manuscript can be found and downloaded here (open access):
doi.org/10.3389/ftox.2024.1469995